Maybe it's love
by Maxsprincess
Summary: As Zoe and Max grow closer, past relationships and unforeseen circumstances threaten to tear them apart with fatal consequences.
1. Chapter 1

Max flicked the kettle switch, leaning against the counter as he gazed around the kitchen with sleep filled eyes. Half a cold pizza lay on the top and he grabbed a slice, chewing absent-mindedly as he waited for the water to boil, his sleep addled brain sifting through the events of last night. It had been Fletch's leaving party and he hadn't been able to take his eyes off Zoe all night. Her dress had been sinful and it had taken all his willpower not to rip it off her there and then, instead brushing against her any chance he got and playing footsie under the table. She'd drunk far too much and it had given him the perfect excuse to leave with her - he'd announced he was going to give her a lift home and thrown his jacket over her shoulders, gently ushering her out of the pub before pushing her up against the wall. He smiled to himself as he remembered how she'd dragged him to the car, whispering in his ear the whole way - she really was filthy when she wanted to be.

"That is disgusting." Zoe appeared at the doorway, gesturing at the pizza. She held up a hand to shield her eyes from the morning sun, wincing as she did so.

"Hello to you too." He handed her a coffee. "You look rough as." Max wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her hair softly as she lent her head on his chest.

"We're on shift in an hour." Zoe pulled back gently, throwing back her coffee and raising a hand to her pounding head. "We should get moving." Max murmured his agreement before kissing her, slowly backing her onto the worktop. "Max." He pushed her dressing gown from her shoulders, watching as it pooled around her hips before turning his attention to her neck. "Max-" she broke off as he scraped his teeth across her collarbone. He took her moan as surrender and grinned up at her, taking her hand and leading her back upstairs.

"You're late." Zoe spun round guiltily to see Tess stood by the lockers, a knowing smile on her face.

"Only ten minutes." Zoe watched as the tablet fizzed in her glass of water, grimacing as she took a sip.

"What time did you leave last night?" Tess wandered over, pouring them both a cup of coffee and laughing as Zoe shrugged. "You know, I remember when this was a daily occurrence."

"Those were the days." The two women smiled at each other, enjoying the peace and quiet that was so rare in the ED. "I'd better get going. Her ladyship's waiting." Zoe nodded towards Connie, who was stood by reception bawling Max out - he'd turned up ten minutes after Zoe and was paying the price for his chivalry. Tess rolled her eyes and laughed, watching Zoe as she made her way to cubicles, ducking her head to avoid Connie's wrath. Just as she was about to turn back to her coffee, she saw Max wink at Zoe, who blushed slightly, a small smile gracing her lips. Bemused, Tess stood frowning for a minute before heading over to Charlie, lowering her voice to avoid being overheard.

"Has Zoe said anything to you?" She whispered handing him some notes.

"No. The entire seven years I've known her, she hasn't uttered a single word." Charlie laughed as Tess slapped him lightly.

"I mean about anyone new. Romantically." She sensed Rita glance up and pulled Charlie to one side, smiling politely at the younger nurse before looking at Charlie expectantly.

"Are you looking for gossip?" Charlie teased - he knew full well why Tess was asking. Given Zoe's track record, there was every chance that her new bloke was a serial killer. He dropped the teasing tone, quickly glancing around to make sure no one was listening - gossip spread like wildfire when you worked in such close vicinity with people. "She did mention someone, but I didn't get the impression it was something she wanted to talk about so I let it slide."

"You don't know if it was anyone here?" Given how understanding and discreet Zoe had been about everything that had gone on with Fletch, Tess was unwilling to divulge any hunch she might have about Max, even to Charlie.

"No idea." Charlie shrugged apologetically before heading over to resus. Frowning, Tess looked over to Zoe, who was chatting to Ash with her hand resting on his arm. That was Zoe all over - she was naturally flirtatious, and that was probably all it was. She and Max were very similar in that respect so it was inevitable that there would be chemistry between the two. As she watched however, Max slid past the pair, his hand lingering on Zoe's back. Zoe's eyes followed him until he disappeared round the corner, the pair of them grinning like teenagers - there was definitely something going on between them.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It's going to get a bit dark so bear with me. Please R&amp;R people it would be fab! X**


	2. Chapter 2

"Max, people are looking." Zoe slapped his hand away from the hem of her dress, glancing frantically around the crowded pub. They were at the bar, some distance away from the rest of the ED staff but still much too close for comfort.

"I just want to get you home." He whispered in her ear, his hand grazing her breasts. Over his head, Zoe caught Rita watching them with narrowed eyes and shoved him off.

"Stop it." She hissed and stood up, avoiding Rita's gaze as she pushed her way through the crowd and slammed the door behind her. Max watched her leave, forlorn and vaguely resentful. He understood why she was reluctant to make their relationship public, but it didn't mean he had to like it, and it was getting harder and harder to keep it a secret. He picked up the remainder of her drink, smiling despite himself at the lipstick mark on the rim.

"What was all that about?" Rita slid into Zoe's vacant seat. "I didn't know you two were close." Max gave a non-committal shrug; as much as he disliked having to hide their relationship, he wasn't willing to throw it away over a petty argument.

"No idea. Too much to drink I guess." He smiled at Rita, who was unconvinced but sober enough to recognise there was no point pushing it. She gave his shoulder a light squeeze before heading back to the table, where Cal was attempting to balance a pint on his head. Max glanced over to the window where Zoe normally stood, wondering whether he should go and make peace with her, but there was nobody there. Frowning, he looked around the pub to make sure she hadn't come back inside and then made his way outside. "Zoe?" He pulled his jacket around him, peering around the deserted benches and car park. "Zoe, it's Max." He waited for a few seconds but there was no reply. She hadn't left - her bag was still at the bar - and it wasn't like Zoe to sulk, he'd had enough blazing rows with her to know that much. Feeling slightly apprehensive, he made his way round the side of the pub, fumbling with a cigarette as he scanned his surroundings for any sign of Zoe. It wasn't like her to disappear; whenever they argued it was loud, they were cruel, but it was always short lived and if anyone sulked it was him. This internal rambling was cut short as Max glanced down - he'd stood in something liquid and vaguely sticky. As he examined it, a wave of nausea hit him and he retched - the sticky liquid was blood. "Zoe?" He was yelling now, hastily following the pool of blood to its origin. Pushing aside one of the bins he found it. Zoe was slumped against the wall, her dress pushed up past her hips and ripped to reveal a huge gash on her thigh that was bleeding profusely. Max scooped her up bridal style, his brain going into overdrive as he caught sight of the bruising on her neck. Somehow, through the blind panic, he made his way to the ED, barely registering the brief silence that fell over the crowded reception as he burst through the swing doors, the blood from her leg staining his shirt.

"Lofty, call Tess now." Charlie rushed over to Max, commandeering a trolley from a passing porter. "What the hell happened?" Max couldn't and didn't reply - ignoring the trolley, he pushed his way through to resus, Charlie in close pursuit. Connie turned as they entered, the shock on her face only visible for a brief moment before she took charge, much to Max's relief. He watched as they worked, unable to take his eyes off Zoe.

"Max." Rita appeared next to him, her hand resting gently on his arm and he turned to her, desperate to find something to focus on amidst the chaos. "Let's get you cleaned up." Her tone was soothing and Max suddenly stumbled, his knees giving way as the emotion of the last half hour hit him. He grabbed onto Rita, gesturing weakly at Zoe.

"I can't leave her. I can't -" his voice broke and he tried to move towards her but was held back by a gentle but firm Rita.

"Max, let them do their thing. She's going to be fine. Come on." Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be ushered through to the staff room where he was issued with a cup of tea and a clean shirt. Rita sat next to him in companionable silence, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. Max's gazed was fixed on the area of resus visible to him and Rita could tell he was barely holding it together.

"I bought her that dress." Max broke the silence, his voice no more than a whisper. Gone was the cheeky, self-assured porter, in his place a lost, terrified boy. Rita was always amazed at how tragic events could strip away the layers and barriers until all you were left with was someone both at their weakest and strongest with their emotions on the line. "It was for her birthday." Max continued, and Rita looked up at the ceiling for a minute as she composed herself. "He's ruined her birthday present." Max's voice was louder, more aggressive and Rita glanced at him warily.

"Max-"

"He's had his filthy hands on her, Rita, and he's ruined her present." Max stood up and Rita braced herself for an onslaught. "I should have been there. I shouldn't have been so bloody selfish, I should've gone out sooner, protected her, fought him off, killed the twisted little creep." He overturned the coffee table and Rita flinched, not entirely sure how to cope with the situation. The commotion however had attracted Charlie's attention and he entered the room, holding a placating arm out to Max.

"Thanks Rita." He smiled at the younger nurse who nodded slightly shakily and headed back out to the department. Charlie turned to Max, who was pummelling the lockers as though his life depended on it. "Max, calm down."

"Calm down? Charlie, some creep has done this to her, to my-" Max broke off and Charlie realised why he was reacting in such a violent manner.

"Max, this isn't going to help anyone. Just sit down, okay?" Max remained stood up but stopped hitting the lockers, breathing heavily as he paced the room. The pair remained in silence, both wrapped up in their concern for Zoe, until Tess appeared at the door.

"They're taking her up."

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please R&amp;R it would be great! On a separate note, how emotional was last night's episode?! X**


	3. Chapter 3

Max had barely lifted his head from his hands the entire time Zoe had been in theatre. Occasionally, members of the ED had come to check on her, even some of the staff from other departments. Charlie, who had stayed with Max since she'd been brought in, had had a lengthy conversation with someone called Colette and Mo, who was apparently Zoe's emotional guru, had stuck around for a while. Now, however, the corridor was empty apart from Max, sat in silence a few metres away from an equally quiet Charlie. As soon as Connie appeared wiping her brow, Charlie broke from his staring contest with the wall and began bombarding her with questions.

"How's she doing? Were there complications? Is she okay?" Connie raised her hands, emotionally and physically exhausted.

"She's lost a lot of blood, and there was quite a severe head injury." She paused, lowering her voice as she caught sight of Max approaching them. "We don't know if she'll wake up, never mind when." Charlie ran a hand through his hair, smiling weakly as Max joined them. Connie continued, her tone softer as she looked at the young porter. "You can go and see her now." As Max pushed past her, Connie turned back to Charlie, who was pacing the corridor, slightly uncomfortable with how distressed the usually calm nurse was. "I'm going to be blunt. It was touch and go at times, and I'm not sure she'll wake up at all. All we can do is wait now." She briefly locked eyes with him before disappearing down the corridor. Charlie hesitantly made his way to Zoe's room, pausing as he caught sight of Max, who was gently caressing her face, looking both incredibly old and painfully young. He had what looked like a tape machine on his lap and didn't look up as Charlie entered the room, continuing to talk to Zoe, his voice thick with emotion.

"I am so, so sorry for pushing you. I don't care how long we wait, as long as you wake up. I swear Zo, no one's ever going to hurt you again. I'll find whoever did this and I'll kill them. I will." He kissed her hand and took a deep breath. "Connie operated on you, so I guess she's not all bad. You'd be really pissed though, she's made a right mess of your hair." Charlie edged closer, his anxiousness to see how she was warring with his desire not to interrupt the moment. "You're so beautiful when you're angry, you know. You do this ridiculous foot stomp and you go really Scouse." He wiped his eyes furiously, and it was so teenage that Charlie felt an overwhelming need to comfort him. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, Zoe. And you'd better bloody wake up so I can tell you properly." Max was shaking, whether with anger or tears Charlie couldn't tell. The nurse rested a hand on his shoulder and he spun round, faintly embarrassed to have been caught at such a vulnerable moment.

"Sorry." Charlie whispered. He gestured to the machine on Max's knees. "What's that?" Max shrugged, examining his nails with more interest than necessary.

"I thought it would help." They both looked down at Zoe. "She looks like she's asleep." Max stood up abruptly, forcing a smile and clearing his throat. "I'll leave you to it, I need a cigarette." Stifling a sob, he left the room before Charlie had the chance to reply and gently shut the door behind him, leaving Charlie gazing at the woman he had come to love as a daughter. He took Max's place at her bedside, switching on the tape machine.

"That boy is head over heels, Zoe." Smiling down at her, he shook his head with a weary look of exasperation. "But isn't everyone when it comes to you? You've got us all wrapped round your little finger." He checked her monitor. "Do you remember when you first found out about Nick's tumour? And you turned up at my house, screaming blue murder." He chuckled at the memory. She'd yelled at him for half an hour while he'd made her dinner, then sobbed on his shoulder until he managed to calm her down. They'd talked for hours about Nick, themselves, life in general. Eventually, she'd fallen asleep on his sofa, dressed in a pair of his pyjamas and looking about eighteen. "When I put the duvet over you, you were half asleep and you said 'thanks dad'." He forced down the lump in his throat, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm right here Zoe. We're all right here."

**Oooo, two in one day you lucky people. Hope you enjoy it, sorry it's so short! Please R&amp;R it would be fabulous y'all X**


	4. Chapter 4

The room was dark, save for the faint glow from the screens surrounding Zoe. Max was curled up in his chair with his legs resting on her bed, gently toying with her fingers. He had been playing the messages left on the tape machine over and over, hours of tears, gossip, love and idle chat, but it was silent now. He gazed at her face, so incredibly peaceful and with nothing but some faint bruising to suggest that night had happened at all.

"She looks so young." Max turned at Charlie's voice, smiling - the two had become close over the past few weeks.

"I listened to your message." Max had been dying to ask who Nick was, why he hadn't been to see her, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. "You really care about her."

"Yeah, well, it's Zoe." Charlie smiled ruefully in response, sitting in the chair opposite Max. The pair sat in silence for a minute, both watching Zoe, until Max decided to approach the subject head on.

"Who's Nick?" He looked at Charlie, who shifted uneasily. "You mentioned him in your message, said he'd left or something." Charlie didn't reply for a minute, instead rearranging the flowers at the foot of the bed

"He was the clinical lead here before Zoe. They were...close." Unsure on how far to expand, Charlie paused and sat back in his chair.

"How close?" Max wasn't being aggressive or demanding, but there was a hardness to his voice that hadn't been there previously.

"Well, they were engaged at one point." Charlie tried to keep his voice neutral, avoiding Max's gaze. "It didn't work out, too much history I guess, but they stayed friends. He's in America now." He didn't go into detail about what their history was exactly, or how close they'd remained, but from the look on Max's face he didn't need to.

"I'm never going to leave her." It wasn't a romantic gesture, it was a statement of fact, and Charlie glanced down at the interlocking fingers of the lovers, smiling gently.

"I know." His smile faded as he looked at Max's face - the level of determination on his face was almost frightening. "Look, Max, I know this has been hard but I don't want you to do anything stupid okay?" There was no response and Charlie took it as a sign to leave them to it. "I'll see you later." Max barely looked up, his eyes firmly locked on Zoe.

"I'm going to find who did this Zo. I swear, they will never hurt you again." He pressed his lips to her knuckles before jumping back, staring at her hand to make sure he hadn't imagined it. He hadn't - she squeezed his hand weakly and Max yelled for Charlie, almost in tears. The nurse came running back in, panicked for a second before he realised what had happened. As he rushed over, Zoe's eyes opened slowly and she choked slightly on the tube in her throat. Max was pushed to one side as Charlie and her doctor checked everything was under control. After what felt like years, the chaos that had ensued calmed down, and Max approached her with something akin to wariness.

"Hey you." He sat on the edge of her bed, unable to stop himself from grinning as she smiled feebly at him.

"Max, what happened? Nobody's telling me what happened." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and he knew then that she understood what had happened, she just wanted someone to tell her it wasn't true.

"I'm sorry Zoe." He looked back at Charlie and was shocked to see the older man, who had been so supportive to him over the past few weeks, in tears. He turned back to Zoe, who had rolled over and reached out an arm, but removed it hastily as she flinched at his touch. "Zo..." He trailed off, no idea how he was going to end the sentence.

"Get out." Zoe's voice was barely above a whisper but it stung all the same.

"Zoe, please-" Max watched in dismay as she summoned all her energy and curled into a foetal position.

"Get out." She hissed and Max felt a hand on his shoulder, felt himself being guided back to the corridor, felt himself being pushed into a chair, but the whole time he kept his eyes fixed on Zoe.

"Max, I'm going to go let everyone know she's awake." Charlie was reluctant to leave the young porter by himself, but had little choice - Tess had made him promise to let them know as soon as there was any news, and this was fairly major news. He stood in the corridor for a minute, his hand hovering above Max's shoulder before he sighed and turned, disappearing in the direction of the ED. Max stayed frozen in his chair, unaware of anything Charlie has said or done; in the room opposite Zoe had fallen asleep, her hands clutching the hoodie that Max and left there the previous week. After a few minutes he stood up and made his way back to her bedside, gently pushing her hair from her face.

"It's going to be okay. It all going to be okay."

**I am so sorry I've not updated for a while! I'm going to update again today to make up for it. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please R&amp;R! X**


	5. Chapter 5

It had been four days since Zoe had been discharged from hospital, and she hadn't left the house once. Max had given up trying to see her, but when she'd arrived home there had been flowers, identical to the ones he'd given her on the night they first kissed, waiting on her doorstep. She'd pushed past them, left them wilting in the rain. Her sofa had become her prison - she would sit for hours on end thinking about what had happened, about that night and the days that had followed, about Max. She'd listened to his message, one of the few she'd bothered with, to his declarations of love and protection. The battle in her head between desperately needing to be loved and being damaged goods, something no one would want to touch, was at times unbearable. There were moments when all she wanted was his arms around her, his voice in her ear, his lips on her lips. Other times, she would get claustrophobic in her own skin, feel sweaty hands crawling under her clothes and strained panting filled her head until she screamed herself to sleep.

Sometime mid afternoon she heard a knocking on the door. She stayed where she was until it became impossible to ignore, the incessant banging putting her more on edge than she already was. Uneasily, she made her way to the door, her heart racing.

"Zoe? It's Charlie." He opened the letter box, peering inside. She pressed herself against the wall and closed her eyes, breathing heavily. "Zoe, I'm not leaving this time." He banged on the door again and Zoe sank to the floor, clammy hands forcing her down, wrapping their hands around her neck and Charlie's voice mingled with the whispered threats and climaxing grunts in her head until she screamed and blacked out.

When she came round, she was lying on her bed, the faint but unmistakable smell of coffee and toast filling her nostrils. Charlie appeared at the doorway, carrying mugs and a plate piled high with toast slathered in strawberry jam.

"It's a good thing you're one of those idiots that leave their spare key under the mat." He grinned at her, throwing the key onto the bedside table.

"Hi." Zoe whispered, furious with herself for being so weak, so dependant on others. Charlie sat at the end of the bed, his face the picture of concern and she knew before he opened his mouth what he was doing to say. "No Charlie." She took a piece of toast, shaking her head vehemently. "I don't want to talk about him."

"Zoe, the poor boy's a mess, he just wants to know you're alright." Charlie glanced at her dressing table, where a photo of Max, pouting, took centre stage.

"Well, I'm fine." Zoe replied curtly, but buckled as Charlie turned to look at her, so understanding and concerned that she couldn't hold it in any longer. A sob escaped her lips and after a moment's hesitation Charlie pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as she wept on his shoulder. She'd forgotten what it felt like to be held for comfort, for protection. When they finally broke apart she smiled sheepishly, brushing his damp shirt. "Sorry." He pressed a kiss to her forehead in reply before grabbing a piece of toast and laughing as he gazed around the room.

"The last time I was in here was when I found out about you and Nick." He looked back at her, grinning at her confused expression. "You wouldn't remember, it was years ago and you were very drunk. I had to carry you up here and he was sat on the bed in a towel, waiting for you to come home." Zoe buried her face in her hands, groaning at the thought of it.

"God, you poor man." She lifted her head, smiling for what felt like the first time in years. "Thank you." Charlie held out his hand and pulled her to her feet, shaking his head.

"No problem. Now let's get you sorted out."

Later that evening, the pair sat in the kitchen, half empty bottle of wine on the table and a cigarette dangling from Zoe's fingers.

"I'm going back to work tomorrow." Zoe glanced over at Charlie, at quiet resolve in her voice. She'd been thinking it through all evening and had come to the conclusion that if she was going to get over this, she had to start sooner rather than later.

"Are you sure?" Charlie sounded uneasy. "I've spoken to Connie, she's fine for you to take as much time as you need." He didn't mention the fact that she'd also have to face Max, but he didn't need to. She was terrified that he'd ignore her and she'd be alone again, terrified he wouldn't and that she wouldn't be able to handle his concern, his distress.

"I'm sure Charlie." Her tone was final and Charlie nodded reluctantly as she checked her watch. "Do you want to stay over?"

"That would be great but-" Charlie didn't want to leave her by herself but at the same time didn't want to push her too hard. Zoe interrupted him, her lower lip trembling slightly.

"Please?" He looked at her curled up on the sofa, cradling a glass of wine and sucking the life out of her cigarette, and smiled gently.

"I'll set up the spare room."

**I can't apologise enough for how crap I am at updates! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, your reviews make my day so please keep them coming! X**


	6. Chapter 6

Zoe paused outside the ED entrance, all the reasons why not to return to work flooding her thoughts. She'd have to face her friends, her colleagues, Max, force a smile, talk to patients about their coughs and colds as though they were important, as though they mattered. Everything in her was screaming for her to turn around but before she could, Charlie appeared next to her, his hand resting on the small of her back.

"Come on." He said, nudging her gently. "If you can wear heels after having twenty three stitches in your leg, you can face that lot." She smiled at him gratefully, glancing down at her shoes before taking a deep breath. Nodding at Charlie, she pushed through the swing doors. Despite her apprehension, coming back to the ED was like coming home and she found comfort in it. With Charlie close behind her, she made her way over to reception and signed in, chatting briefly to Noel who, to his credit, didn't show any shock he felt about her early return. She headed off as quickly as she could in the direction of cubicles - she knew she'd have to see Connie but the sooner she got stuck in the easier the day would be.

Two patients later and Zoe was beginning to get back into the flow of the ED. It was by no means a normal day - although people were respecting her decision to return to work, they were treating her as though she was made of china. The only people who weren't were Charlie and Connie, who had told her she wasn't allowed in resus on pain of death, hugged her and then carried on as normal. The hug had surprised her, but Zoe was incredibly grateful to the other woman and had reevaluated her perception of her slightly.

"Zoe!" She smiled to herself at the voice, turning round only to be pulled into a hug by a concerned Rita. She'd become close to the nurse recently and as she squeezed her back, she felt tears spring to her eyes. Hastily, she wiped them away but Rita as good as shoved her towards the staff room, pouring them both a cup of tea. Zoe gave a watery smile in thanks and took a sip, composing herself.

"Sorry." She slipped off her shoes, wincing - the gash on her leg, despite being beautifully stitched, was not quite up to a day of running around in heels.

"You don't need to apologise. Ever." Rita replied, and Zoe smiled at how passionate the younger woman was about everything. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. How's it been here?" Zoe appreciated Rita's concern, but it really wasn't something she felt like talking about. She didn't know if she'd ever want to talk about it, even with Charlie. Even with Max. Rita smiled, giving a tiny nod of acceptance to Zoe's unspoken plea to avoid the subject.

"Weird without you. You've not missed much though, apart from Max punching this guy who was-" Zoe spun round, colour drained from her face and Rita trailed off.

"Max punched someone?" Her voice was shaking and Rita couldn't tell if she was angry, distressed or both. Laying a comforting, if slightly wary hand on Zoe's knee, Rita continued.

"Yeah, this guy was arrested in here for harassing a woman, she ended getting hit by a car to avoid him, and Max just went for him." Zoe stood up, setting down her mug and running a frantic hand through her hair. "Zoe?" Rita stared after her as she disappeared from the room, completely at a loss as to what had happened.

Zoe practically ran outside, ignoring the puzzled looks from patients and colleagues. She frantically looked around, desperately trying to find Max, although she had no idea what she was going to say to him. This was exactly what she'd been scared of - that Max would do something stupid, that they would have to discuss what had happened instead of just ignoring as she'd hoped to. Finally, she caught sight of him, lounging against the wall, smoking like there was no tomorrow. The sight was so familiar that she momentarily forgot everything that had happened and just stood, watching him. She shook herself and glanced down, only now noticing that she'd left her shoes with Rita in the staff room. Heaving a sigh of frustration, she looked back up, only to find herself face to face with Max. The pair stared at each other, both afraid of what the other might say. It was Max who broke first, his outstretched arm hastily removed as Zoe flinched at his touch.

"Zoe." His voice was so full of emotion, so full of love that she forgot to be angry with him, forgot that yesterday she hadn't even been able to say his name and just raised a trembling hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. He pulled her towards him and she rested her head on his chest, ignoring her freezing feet and the fact that they were in the middle of the car park.

"God I've missed you." She didn't realise just how much until she said it, looping her arms round his neck and gazing up at his face through a teary haze. Max didn't say anything but took her hand and led her behind a nearby ambulance. When they reached it he cupped her face in his hands, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb before kissing her. After a moment of panic at the sudden intimacy, Zoe relaxed into him and they stayed there, kissing and holding each other for what seemed like eternity. When they eventually broke apart Max rested his forehead against hers, a smile dancing across his lips.

"You had me worried for a minute." He was still the Max she adored, but something about him was older, more mature. "Are you okay?" She looked up at him, toying with the back of his collar as she thought.

"No. But I will be."

**Hope you enjoyed it! I thought Zoe deserved some fluff given everything that's happened to her. I'm not sure whether to carry on or not so any thoughts would be much appreciated! Please R&amp;R, it makes my day x**


	7. Chapter 7

Zoe's scream pierced the air, her sobs reverberating through the house like shots. Max woke with a jolt from his position on the sofa, massaging the crick in his neck as he took the stairs two at a time. He'd stayed at hers for the night but had slept downstairs - despite their reconciliation earlier, he wasn't convinced she wasn't just putting up a front and he didn't want to push her too hard. Throughout the day she'd been magnificent, barely flickering when the subject was brought up, fobbing off concerned colleagues with a bright smile and a wink. But he'd seen her earlier, had spoken to Charlie. It scared him, how much she meant to him, how quickly he'd fallen for the doctor with the killer shoes, the drunk with the wandering hands and the woman who was more broken than she'd ever admit. He'd caught her earlier, laughing with Rita, and he'd been awestruck that someone so beautiful, so effortlessly amazing would want anything to do with him. As he burst into her room he took a sharp breath, raising a panicked hand to his forehead. Zoe was still asleep, sobbing in a corner, but she'd managed to reopen the wound on her leg and the sheets were soaked in blood. Pressing one hand against it and trying to ignore how quickly his hand turned dark red, he shook her awake, fumbling with his phone.

"Zoe. Zo, wake up." She came round with a start, lashing out at whatever was tormenting her dreams before focussing on Max and her leg. Her eyes widened, the panic visible on her face.

"Max, what-"

"It's okay, you're going to be fine." He soothed, desperately trying to keep the tremor from his voice. Finally pulling his phone from his pocket, he shakily dialled 999, leaning over to kiss Zoe gently as he listened to the operator. "Okay, thanks." He pulled off his shirt and pressed it against the gaping wound, all the while talking to Zoe, trying to keep her calm. "They're on their way, just focus on me Zo, that's it." He locked eyes with her, forcing a grin. "Good girl." She reached out and grabbed his hand, her nails digging into his palm briefly before her eyes rolled back in her head and her grip slackened. "Zoe? Zo, please look at me. Zoe!" He was yelling now, his voice breaking as he heard a knock on the door.

"Hello? Ambulance service?" Max had never been more relieved to hear Jeff's voice, twisting as he entered the room, closely followed by Tamzin. "Max, what are you-" he broke off as he caught sight of Zoe.

"Jeff, she's not breathing, she was having a nightmare and then-" Max gestured to his shirt, now almost dripping with blood. Jeff nodded, but Max caught the uneasy glance between the two paramedics. Whatever Zoe had managed to do to herself, it wasn't good.

"Okay mate. Just give us some room, alright?" Max felt himself being gently manoeuvred to one side and watched, helpless, as they worked on Zoe. He caught sight of himself in the mirror, hands covered in her blood and tears staining his face. His bare chest was splattered as though someone had thrown crimson paint on it, but he didn't have time to grab a new shirt. Jeff and Tamzin were starting to take Zoe downstairs, only pausing briefly as Tamzin looked back at Max.

"Are you coming? Max?" When there was no reply, she shrugged at Jeff and the pair continued downstairs. Only when he heard the door shut did Max snap out of whatever trance he'd been in and run down the stairs, grabbing the door of the ambulance just before Tamzin shut it.

"I'm coming with her." It wasn't a question and he pushed past before Tamzin could reply, sitting next to Zoe and kissing her hand. "It's okay Zo. I'm here." Tamzin gently put a blanket over his shoulders and he smiled gratefully.

"Are you two..." She trailed off, gesturing at their linked hands. Max shrugged - in truth, he didn't know what Zoe and he were. There were moments when he thought they were something more serious, but at other times it felt as though she just needed someone to be there for her, and it didn't really matter if it was him or someone else.

"I'm not sure. I think - I know - I love her Tamzin, and I don't really care what we are as long as she's okay." Max turned back to Zoe, smiling sadly. "I've never told anyone that." Tamzin rested a hand on his shoulder, and the pair remained in silence for the rest of the journey, Zoe's unsteady breathing and the rush of late night traffic filling the ambulance.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, it's taken me ages and I'm not completely happy with it so any advice would be great! I'll try and update again tonight because I'm going away for two weeks tomorrow. Please R&amp;R people, it would be fab! X**


	8. Chapter 8

"You can't keep doing this." Charlie's voice was barely above a whisper, but in the silent room it felt like a scream. "You can't keep pretending it didn't happen." Zoe rolled away from him, wincing as her leg pushed against the bed. She could make out Max stood by the wall, could feel his eyes burning into her. She knew Charlie was right but she didn't know how to start. It felt like everything was falling apart - that night at the pub, the nightmares, and Max, beautiful Max who she'd seen just hours ago, screaming her name through the glass doors of resus.

"What the hell have you done now?" His voice was so familiar it felt almost out of place, like something you'd loved as a child and then rediscovered thirty years later. She felt Charlie stand up next to her, heard Max refusing to leave the room, leave her side, his voice rising until she sat up slowly. The three men turned to face her, and she smiled weakly, her eyes fixed on Max.

"It's okay, Max. I'll be fine." He came over and cupped her face in his hands, tracing the scar behind her ear from her surgery. She brushed the hair from his eyes, ran her fingers over his bare chest. "I love you." She whispered, and a smile curled his lips before he kissed her in reply, his lips bruising, their teeth clashing until breathlessly he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you too, Spider-Man. Also this guy-" he gestured over his shoulder towards Nick, "seems like a bit of an idiot, no idea who he thinks he is." He grinned as she rolled her eyes, kissing her once more before following Charlie out of the room. She glanced over at Nick, who was holding a bunch of flowers and standing slightly awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"Nice of you to show up." She didn't mean to be so harsh, but it had been over two months since she'd been attacked and he hadn't even called, as far as she knew.

"Zo, I got here as soon as I could." He stepped towards her cautiously, a tension between them that hadn't been there for years. "Something came up..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm sorry." Resting the flowers at the bottom of the bed he raised his eyebrows. "Someone'll come with a vase." It was his way of apologising, of making a truce, repeating her words from all those years ago. She smiled grudgingly and pushed herself up onto her elbows as he pulled Charlie's chair over. The pair sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, both enjoying the nostalgia of the moment. Nick spoke first, and when Zoe glanced over at him she was startled to see him nearly in tears.

"If I ever find out who did this, I am going to make it my life's work to make the rest of their's living hell." He looked at her and reached out for her hand, examining it as though he hadn't seen it in years. She supposed he hadn't.

"That's what Max said. I think his precise words were 'I'll strangle him with his own genitals'." She raised her hand to his face, brushing gently against the stubble on his jawline, longer than the last time she'd seen seen him. "I've missed this." She smiled as he took her hand and kissed it gently, his eyes fixed on hers. "I've missed us." She traced a finger down his neck to his tie and dragging him towards, her eyes flickering towards his lips as she did so. He shut his eyes momentarily before pulling away at the last second, shaking his head.

"Zo, don't do this. There is no us, not in that way. This is about you." He stood up, distancing himself from her as he glanced over to where Max was watching them through the window.

"Nick, don't tell me you haven't thought about it too, about what we could've been. Please-" her eyes were wide, almost frantic - there was no clear line of thought in her head, just a one woman self destruct plan.

"Of course I've bloody thought about it." He slammed his fist onto the back of the chair and she flinched, briefly catching sight of Charlie holding Max back as he tried to return to the room. "But Zoe, we've been through this. I love you, I always will, but as a friend, my best friend. That boy, he loves you with every fibre of his body, and I'm fairly sure you feel the same." He sat back in his seat, breathing heavily.

"How can you know that? I'm not even sure I know that, I don't know anything, everything's just so-" she rammed the heel of her palm against her head to illustrate her point and he grabbed it, his face inches from her's.

"I know because you look at him like you used to look at me." He sounded almost hopeful and Zoe briefly forgot everything that had happened and thought back to six years ago, when they could have had everything and anything. But over Nick's shoulder, Max was straining against Charlie, his hands pressed against the glass. And despite everything she had, and knew she could have, with Nick, Max made her breakfast in the mornings. He stole her cigarettes, he kissed her every chance he got, he'd sing to her when she was upset. He was Max and he loved her, and she loved him and right then that was all that mattered. She turned to Nick and nodded, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you."

**I've found wifi! So I should be able to update more than I thought, thankfully. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please R&amp;R it would be fantastic x**


	9. Chapter 9

Max looked across the room at Zoe. They'd been sat in silence for the last hour, curled up at opposite ends of the sofa, Zoe staring off into the distance and Max stealing glances at her every so often. He so desperately wanted to reach out and comfort her, to reassure her, but she'd been so distance that he didn't want to push her any further for fear it would be too far. The way she'd been with Nick over the last few days, as though they were two pieces of a jigsaw, had scared him and he was more resentful than he would care to admit of the older man. But in the end it was Max she had come home with, Max she had allowed to redress her wounds, Max she had clung to after her nightmares, screaming against his chest until, exhausted, she fell back asleep. He looked over at her again - her lips were slightly parted, as though she was about to say something, and her fingers were wrapped so tightly around her glass he was afraid it might shatter. A fair summary, he supposed, of how he felt about Zoe at the moment. When she finally spoke, he jumped slightly at the disruption of the quiet.

"There were three of them." Her voice was frighteningly steady, her gaze blank. Max didn't move - although he knew he would hate what was about to come, he got the sense it was something she needed to do. "He just asked for a light, I didn't think-" she broke off, taking a deep breath to try and get her emotions under control.

"Zo, you don't have to do this now." He stretched out a hand to the middle of the sofa and she grabbed it gratefully, her nails digging into his skin. Shaking her head, she turned to look at him for the first time since they had returned home.

"It's okay. I want to tell you, I don't want - secrets don't work, they're not fair." She turned away again, staring at the blank television. "He asked for a light, and then his mate appeared and-" she stopped again, and Max could see her going through it all over again in her head. "He just kept walking towards me and then my back hit the wall and he kept coming, and he was talking, the whole time talking and he-" Max squeezed her hand gently and she smiled weakly. "He knew my name, Max. He kept saying it, over and over again and then one of them pulled out a knife." Her gaze drifted subconsciously to her leg. "I tried to shout for you, but they-" the glass in her hand shattered and they both jumped, Zoe stifling a sob. Her eyes fixed on the remains of her glass she continued, her voice shaking. "I can't remember much of it after that because I think I hit my head on the wall, but his hands were everywhere, and his smell was so...cloying, I couldn't breathe. And all I remember thinking was that the dress was ruined." She smiled weakly, shrugging. "Then you turned up, I guess." There was silence for a moment, her words hanging in the air between them. Max had never felt so much in one go - he was furious, disgusted at the way she'd been treated and at the people who had done so, beyond proud of her for coming through it and for telling him and-

"God I love you." Max turned towards her, a faint smile tugging his lips. "You're amazing, you know that?" He kissed her gently, smiling as she dragged him towards her. They stayed there for what seemed like hours, until Zoe lay back on the sofa, tugging at the hem of Max's top. He pulled back slightly, pushing himself up above her on his hands. "Are you sure?" She looked so beautiful that it was taking all of his willpower to even pause long enough to ask the question, but he'd made a promise to himself, and to Zoe, that he'd wait for ever if necessary. She grinned up at him, pushing herself flush against him and toying with the zip of his jeans.

"Well, we don't have to-" she was cut off as Max's lips crushed against hers, pushing her against the sofa where they woke the next day, a tangle of limbs and cushions, the lack of nightmares noticed by both.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it's so short, I'll try and update again today to make up for it. Please R&amp;R they make my day x**


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